help. advice needed

I felt ashamed going to the doctors saying I thought I had Bi polar but it was the best thing I have ever done. They were very sympathetic and referred me to a Psychiatrist, they go into your history a little and listen to you and what you feel. I am now on Lamotragine 400mg and Quinapine 200mg to help me sleep. I now am very stable and feel better in myself. Hope you go for help as I did cause it will help you in the end. 

Hi thank you. I went to the docs to say I think I needed extra help with dealing with my past and they told me to do a self referral so that's what I've done so far. Mum only just told me that she thinks it's bipolar, so I don't know if it's worth going back to the docs again or waiting a potential couple of months for my self referral?

Do you think it sounds like bipolar? I've been on numerous of anti depressants for over 6 years and they haven't helped.

To me yes it does, normal anti-depressants don't really work they told me, I was only diagnosed last year but had been living with this all my life so I would definitely go back to the doctors.

Hi amc

yep, sounds to me like you've got bipolar. Tell me this, if you woke up one morning with a really bad sore throat and it got worse day by day would you go to the Drs, of course you would. Bi polar  ( or manic depressive or hyper mania , as the illness used to be known as) is an illness just like any other illness, it needs to be treated. Take my advice, go to the Drs, tell him your symptoms tell him that it has been suggested by people that it may be bipolar,and start living again. In this day and age there are marvellous drugs that can help you lead a " Normal" life. Take it from me, I'm 57 and round about your age I spent eight years in and out of a psychiatric hospital, having been diagnosed and treated I then have gone on to lead a happy life. Please for the sake of you and your family go to the Drs TODAY (or try to get an appointment! Best wishes.

Sorry , just read your reply already posted. Go for it girl and all the best. X

I went to the doctors and been referred on to a psychiatric team. Doc said that they themselves don't diagnose it but a psychiatric specialist does?

I'm not really sure how long the referral will take but it's a plus I spose.

Thanks everyone

I had your symptoms since age 16, I was hardball end by the nhs and give antidepressants and the like and given nhs counselling which was a waste of time for me as they addressed general anxiety and depression, it took me til I was 32 to by chance read an article which seemed like whilst reading it I had written it!!  It was about bipolar 11

all I can advise is research research research on the subject and check the symptoms etc meet yours. If they do research all sorts of alternate medicines, diets, sleep routines, exercise,, food allergies and do all you can as the nhs will take a while before they diagnose and prescribe the 'lithiums' etc. I have found a massive difference in just doing the above alone but it wasn't enough for me without the help of lithium. I believe doing the. Above has allowed me to use lithium as a tool as opposed to relying on medication to solely sort this problem of bipolar. I'm confident that change of diet, getting a proper sleep regime going ( even if it means sleeping tablets) will help dramatically. 

I had had to go private in the end as I left it so long untreated as I had no clear diagnosis and my cycles were weekly or less and I had no quality of life. We spent. ALOT of money to begin with but I would not change that for a second. Now in working full time I see a kinesiologist once a fortnight for diet tips and acupressure and massage,, a phycotherapist once a month and a phychiatrist on the nhs when required to check my lithium levels. This combination has enabled me to live a mostl normal life as whereas before I had no life. Hope this helps